The Man You Once Knew
by Emo Vampire Chic
Summary: Italy learns the truth about both Germany and Holy Rome, a bit of mentions of Germany x Italy/ Italy x Holy Rome
1. Chapter 1

**The Man You Once Knew**

It was a sad day from the start. I woke up in Germany's bed, but he was not there, that's how it usually works, only when I went to the kitchen he wasn't in there either. It was raining really hard outside, so I figured that training would be inside today, but I looked in the training room and he wasn't there. I even got my coat on and headed outside but I could find him anywhere. I decided to call Japan maybe they were hanging out today, or maybe he had to go somewhere and I just forgot about it.

"Hai, Japan speaking," Japan said answering the phone.

"Hey Japan, it's Italy," I said happily.

"Oh, hello Italy, what can I do for you?" Japan asked.

"Well, I woke up this morning, without Germany making me, and I noticed Germany wasn't here, I was wondering if you know where he went?" I asked.

"Uh, no Germany didn't say anything to me, I hope he is alright. Maybe he went to the store to pick wurst or manga or something," he said. "I am suddenly worried for his well being?"

"Well I don't think Germany is the manga type of person, and we have plenty of wurst, but maybe he did go to the store," I said calming myself down a little.

"Oh, Italy I have a question," Japan said after an awkward silence. "The war is over, why are you still staying at Germany's house? Do you not want to go home?"

"No, I like my home, a lot, but Germany is my best friend and I don't want to leave him, plus Germany is making me do this weird boot camp and he says he's gonna make me stronger or something, but I think he really just wants me to stay here," Italy said.

"Ah, yes, I am sure that is his reasoning," Japan said, I thought he sound a little awkward, but I guess it must have just sounded that way over the phone.

"Well thanks for your help Japan; I love you, Asta la Pasta!

"Errrr…uhhhh, well goodbye," Japan said hanging up.

I decided to wait for Germany, maybe he would come back with pasta or something special like that, that would be great, I really want some pasta, or maybe some pizza, something with a nice layer of tomato sauce would be heavenly.

I took a siesta while I was waiting for Germany. Germany has mentioned before that's quite incredibly how I can wake up from sleeping and then take a nap a few minutes after. He is always complimenting me.

I woke up about two and a half hours later. I got up and noticed that Germany was still not here; I got worried and walked over to the phone. I decided to call Japan again, I'm mean I was worried about Germany and Japan was Germany's friend, so he should be worried about him too right, but when I called no one answered. I called again but again no one answered. I gave up, maybe Japan was in the shower or something, I'll call him back in a little bit.

I walked over to the fridge to find something to eat. Wurst, wurst, wurst, there was absolutely nothing to eat; I sighed and closed the fridge door. I was about to call Japan back and see if he was there when I heard someone knock on the door.

Ooooooh that could be Germany, well I don't know why he is knocking at his house, but still. "Doitsu!" I shouted running to the door. I opened it and found Big Brother France.

"Gah," he said when he saw that it was me that opened the door and not Ludwig. "Italy," he paused blushing looking embarrassed. "What are you doing here? Is um Germany home, I'm not interrupting something am I?" he talked really fast, with his strange accent.

"No, Germany isn't here, I don't know where he is, he hasn't been here all day," I answered.

France sighed relieved. "Do you happen to know when he shall return?"

"Nope," I answered.

"Oh…" France said confused. "Well then I will be off, do mention to him that I stopped by." He turned to leave.

"Err…Big Brother France," I said calling him back. "Why don't you come in and wait for him."

France turned around confused.

"Huh? Really, would that be alright?" France asked.

"Yeah, I don't know how long he'll be, but when he gets back he can talk to you," I said.

France came in and took a seat on the couch, I sat next to him.

"So Big Brother France what's up," I asked. He smiled at me.

"Nothing much, there are just a few thing I would like to say to Germany, but how are you young Italy? I see you are still very close to Ludwig," he said he smile faltering a tiny bit when he said Germany's name.

"Well Germany is making me do this boot camp thing to help become a stronger country," I said smiling.

France chuckled amused by my happiness. "Well you and Germany seem to be the best of friends." He said. I was confused by why he emphasized the word _friends_.

"Yeah Germany and I are best friends, we hangout all the time and sometimes he even lets me cook for him, and then at night when he is sleeping I will sneak in his bed, just because I feel a lot safer with him near me. Oh! What if Germany is in trouble! He is always there to defend me, what am I suppose to do when he is in trouble? I cannot even defend myself, and if I go to whoever is holding Germany and surrender they aren't going to let Germany go," I started to freak out.

France put his hand on my shoulder trying to calm me. I took a few breaths and tried to calm myself, Germany said the more you freak out the weaker you seem.

"He is quite a capable man, I doubt anyone would be able to take him down, even with an entire army behind them," he said. "He has been through so much throughout the years," he paused and seemed to look off in to the distance, distracted.

I looked at him wondering how much he knew about Germany, were they friends before, and what is it that is so important that he needs to talk to him about now? I wanted to ask him but at the same time I didn't want to be rude.

"You really love him don't you?" France asked coming out of his distraction. "You have had a pull for him for years haven't you," he said, now to himself.

"Yes," I said. "He has become my closest and dearest friend," I said seriously, I still thinking of Germany, where was he? Was he okay? "I can honestly say I love him, I love him like I love you."

France seemed to smiling proudly at that.

"Well I guess it is fated then, the power of amour cannot be stopped, He has liked you before and nothing can contain that attraction," he said quietly again speaking to himself.

He confused me. What was he talking about, amour, attraction, before? He wasn't making much sense, when Germany and I first met, which wasn't that long ago, he hated me, he learned to love me because while I may not be useful, I am cute, but would I say there was attraction? No it was just fate that he found me when I was hiding as the box of tomatoes fairy, a very clever disguise that for some reason didn't seem to work, it was foolproof.

"Huh?" I said. "Big Brother France what are you talking about? You're not making any sense?"

He smiled and chuckled. He sighed. "It seems I am getting old, I'm starting to lose that beautiful mind of mine, just by talk to myself young Italy."

I smiled trying to reassure him. "I don't see you as old, and I don't believe you are losing anything you seem just like the big brother I remember."

He smiled. "Ah, Italy I am so glad you turned out as sweet as I remember you being growing up, and I am so glad I got to see you when I came here today, I feel like I haven't seen you in ages. It's weird what I have to talk to Germany about actually has to do a little bit with you," he patted me on the head.

"What is it that you have to tell Germany?" I asked curious.

"Hmmm, it's a very…complicated matter, I am not even sure I should say anything." He said looking off in to the distance again distracted.

"Well I'm sure I can understand, and if not then I am sure Germany will explain it to me later, it's just, if it's about me don't you think I should know too," I said.

"I guess after everything I did I at least owe you that," he said staring off distracted. "Do you remember a young fellow named Holy Roman Empire?"

With only that name a flood of emotions flew in to me. I thought of the happiness I felt for him when I was young, Holy Rome, my first love. I loved him and he seemed to feel the same way. We used to do things together like painting and swimming and he was the only person besides Ms. Hungary who was nice to me while I lived at Austria's house. When I would go hungry because Austria wouldn't feed me, Holy Rome would sneak me food, the food sucked but it was a nice gesture. I remember feeling torn the day that Holy Rome left, I loved him and he was leaving me, all alone. The time apart was torturous but not as torturous as the day that Big Brother France came to visit.

***Ooooo Yay Flashback! ^_^***

(Chibitalia)

"Big Brother France?" I asked confused. "What's wrong?"

"Italy, I have a question for you, do you know who Holy Roman Empire is?" he asked, I noticed he was wearing the uniform that usually indicated war, and his white shirt was stained with blood. His face was completely serious.

"Yes," I said confused. My voice sounded hopeful, I missed him he had been gone for so long now.

France's face seemed to go from serious to a bit pained. "Well then I have some new that you really will not want to hear."

"What is it? What happened to Holy Rome? Is he alright? Where is he?" I demanded.

He looked at me his eyes becoming sympathetic. "Maybe you are too young to understand, maybe I shouldn't tell you," He said turning away from me.

"No, no I want to know, I love him I want to know what happen!" I shouted.

He gasped and looked at me. "What, il est amoureux, mais il est très jeune ? (He is in love, but he is so young?"

"Tell me just tell me! I need to know!" I shouted as loud as I could

"Mon ami, I shall but do not hate me for what I am going to say. This Holy Rome you love so is no more. He was killed in battle."

"What?" I was completely shocked. No, No! He couldn't be dead, there was no way! Lies, lies, Big Brother France is lying to me. I wanted to scream at him and call him a liar, tell him I could kill him for saying those words (wow angry Italy is rare but kinda scary O_o) but I didn't say that, I couldn't.

"Who did it?" I asked.

"Italy, that is not important," he began to say, I cut him off.

"Just please tell me who did it?" I begged in tears.

"It was…me" he said. "I did not mean to, it was my boss, my boss thought they had too much power and ordered me to attack."

"No," I said looking at the blood on his shirt. "No!" I shouted running away.

***End flashback Awww***

After that I refused to talk to him for years. I pretty much hated him till I became an adult. As a child, although I loved big brother France, I never talked to him, because it would depress me, I didn't want to hate big brother France, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I understood, while I may have loved Holy Rome, I may have been for the better because even when I thought we were close he would try to get me to join him in his empire, I didn't want that! I told him that, I told him I didn't want him end up like grandpa Rome, but he never listened to me, and I bet he was like that with other countries, meaning he was really starting to get out of control, France was probably protecting himself. (Not really but don't tell Italy that _)

"Yes," I answered finally. There was no way I could forget.

"Do you remember the day I came to tell you about his death," France asked. He was no looking at me, both his eyes and his voice soft and caring (Believe it or not writing a serious France is really hard but it was need for this story, in fact Italy is serious in it to, no fun at all to write T_T)

"Yes" I said. "I will never forget that day," I said darkly.

"I know how much it hurt you and trust me when I told you that I believe it was true myself, but that was before I heard the new," he said.

"What? Are you saying that he is still alive?" I shouted standing up and grabbing him by his cloak.

"Yes," he said. "I did not believe it, I pierced his heard with my own sword but he survive he battle and instead changed, he was no longer the man you once knew, he was mutated in to a new different nation, Germany."

"WHAT?" I shouted as loud as my lungs would let me. "G-Germany…is Holy Rome?"

"Yes, I did not believe it at first, but when I found him, he was different, he had no memory of who he was and because I found him a while after he had already changed, he had started his own culture. I did know what to do with him, I did not want to keep because he was the country I was suppose to have killed, so I gave him to a friends of mine, Prussia (Bad Touch Trio XD), who raised him like his own. Eventually Germany became strong enough to overtake Prussia and become fully independent, making him the man he is today."

I started back at him shocked, I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks, this explained it all. The love I had for Germany, the way he seemed to love me back. Everything would be perfect if we told Germany, he would realize his true feelings for me, and I could act on mine, it would perfect just like in the dreams I used to have when I was a kid. There was only one problem…

"We can't tell Germany this," I said emotionlessly.

"What, why?" France asked. "Italy, I thought that is what you would have wanted?" he had a look of shock on his face.

"I was able to overcome Holy Rome's death because of one fact; I knew he was after world domination. I knew that while he may love me he just wanted me to join him so he could get bigger and stronger. I don't want Germany to become like that, I feel like if we were to tell him of his past he might remember it, I don't want that. I'd rather have him blind now then have him act like how he used to." I knew I would regret this decision but I also knew it was right. At least now I knew there was attraction there that would make it easier to get him to bring it out.

France hugged me. "That's actually very noble of you, I only hope one day you will find you love," he said. Too late I had already found him.

(Germany spent the whole day with Romano *gasp* that Traitor! ^_^)


	2. Sequel

**Hey guys, I know you probably thought this was then end of the story, and it was suppose to be, because I planned for it to be a one shot, however, a friend of mine, Dovesongz wrote a sequel called "The man I once was" so if you liked this one, I recommend you check that one out! **


End file.
